Following the Manchester Arena Incident and ongoing terrorist atrocities happening

This guidance is aimed at anyone exposed to the incident at Manchester Arena that took place on 22 May 2017 and other terrorist atrocities that have happened. The emotional effects will be felt by survivors, bereaved families, friends, emergency services, health care workers and the general public. If you witnessed or lost someone in the attack you will most certainly have a strong reaction. Reactions are likely to be strongest in those closest to the incident, who directly witnessed the aftermath and who were involved in the immediate care of victims.

Common reactions to traumatic events

The following responses are normal and to be expected in the first few weeks:

These responses are a normal part of recovery and are the mind’s mechanisms of trying to make sense and come to terms with what happened. They should subside over time.

What can people do to cope?

The most helpful way of coping with an event like this is to be with people you feel close to and normally spend time with.

If it helps, talk to someone you feel comfortable with (friends, family, co-workers) about how you are feeling.

Talk at your own pace and as much as you feel it’s useful.

Be willing to listen to others who may need to talk about how they feel.

Take time to grieve and cry if you need to. Letting feelings out is helpful in the long run.

Ask for emotional and practical support from friends, family members, your community or religious centre.

Try to return to everyday routines and habits. They can be comforting and help you feel less out of sorts. Look after yourself: eat and sleep well, exercise and relax.

Try to spend some time doing something that feels good and that you enjoy.

Be understanding about yourself.

How can children be helped to cope?

Let them know that you understand their feelings.

Give them the opportunity to talk, if and when they want to.

Respect their pace.

Reassure them that they are safe.

Keep to usual routines.

Keep them from seeing too much of the frightening pictures of the event.

When should a person seek more help?

In the early stages, psychological professional help is not usually necessary or recommended. Many people recover naturally from these events. However, some people may need additional support to help them cope. For example, young children, people who have had other traumatic events happen to them and people with previous mental health difficulties may be more vulnerable.

If about a month after the event anyone is still experiencing the following difficulties, it is a good idea to seek help:

Feeling upset and fearful most of the time

Acting very differently to before the trauma

Not being able to work or look after the home and family

Having deteriorating relationship difficulties

Using drugs or drinking too much

Feeling very jumpy

Still not being able to stop thinking about the incidents

Still not being able to enjoy life at all

You can access help by:

Speaking to your GP or other clinician. We are here to help you. You can find useful information on the practice website via Depression Care

Here are other services for people in other parts of Greater Manchester:

- Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale – Thinking Ahead

- Wigan – North West Boroughs Trust

- Bolton - https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/bolton

- Manchester - https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/manchester-services

- Salford - https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/salford

- Trafford - https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/trafford

Samaritans(116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year.Childline(0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.PAPYRUS(0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.The Sanctuary(0300 003 7029) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year, for people who are struggling to cope - experiencing depression, anxiety, panic attacks or in crisis.

All victims of the Manchester Bombing attack have been given the advice here

Guidance from the Royal College of Psychiatrists

One of the most helpful resources available on the internet, regarding self help and analysis, is the royal college of Psychiatrists. There are a number of resources available, on Grief, Depression and PTSD.

We are encouraging all patients to sign up for full access to your GP electronic health records. You can then keep an eye on your health, read what your doctor or nurse has advised you, particularly if you are worried about your health and wellbeing and feeling anxious and stressed. You can order repeat prescriptions and also send secure messages. You can also book appointments with the nurse and phlebotomist. There are now some limited telephone consultations with the doctor that you can book too. You can also share this information with whom you like and when you like. This is particularly useful for family and friend whom you trust if they want to know what else they can do to help.

Signing up is easy - complete an online questionnaire and then pop into the surgery when it is open to get your pin numbers. To find out more, click here.

Learn more about online services here. Please ask our reception staff or our doctors, nurses and health care assistants if you would like to know more. Over 7000 patients have now signed up for the service and are finding it helps them to cope better and manage their healthcare needs for them and their family.

Some of the steps that people can take include:

Every day

Be alert to
what is going on around you

Report anything suspicious at the earliest
opportunity - either to police on 999 or to the Anti-Terrorist

Hotline on 0800 789 321

Ensure
that your social media security settings are set to private and be mindful of
what information you are sharing

While
you're at work

Always
wear your work pass when you're in an official building, and be mindful of
anyone not wearing theirs - get comfortable asking them for proof of their
permission to be there

Be
mindful of tailgating. If somebody attempts to follow you through a secure door
or gate which requires a pass or code to gain access, whether on foot or in a
vehicle, always ensure that person is authorised to access the area

Familiarise
yourself with the agreed security policy escalation protocol for your place of
work, just in case there is a security breach

In the event of a firearms or weapons attack,
always follow these three steps:

Run
Run to a place of safety. This is a far better
option than to surrender or negotiate. If there's nowhere to go then...

Hide
It's better to hide than to confront. Remember
to turn your phone to silent and turn off vibrate. Barricade yourself in if you
can. Then finally and only when it's safe to do so...